Apparatus for feeding air to furnaces.



J. H. PARSONS. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AIR T0 FURNACES. APPLICATION FILEDMAY 5, 1909. RENEWED 11110. 16, 1913.

1,092,854. Patented Apr. 14, 1914 3 SHEET8-SHBET 1.

S'VLUM I OU COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COHWASHINGTON. D. 01

J. H. PARSONS. I APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AIR T0 FURNACES.

APPLIUATI'ON EIEED MAY 5, 1909. RENEWED AUG. 1a. 1913.

1,092,854. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' J. H. PARSONS. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AIR T0 FURNACES. APPLIOATIONFILED MAY 5, 1909. RENEWED AUG. 16, 1913. 1,092,854.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914-.

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JOHN H. PARSONS, OF RIDLEY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO- PARSONSENGINEERING COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AIR TO FURNACES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. Parsons, acitizen of the United States, residing at Ridley Park, in the county ofDelaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Feeding Air to Furnaces, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theacco1npanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for feeding air tofurnaces above the bed of fuel, so as to create a combustion of thegases arising from the burn ing body of fuel on the grate.

The invention is designed more particularly for use in connection withlocomotive fire boxes, although in this particular it is not to beunderstood as being limited in that respect in its useful application.

In equipping locomotive fire boxes wlth air feeding nozzles and pipes, Ihave found that it is of great advantage to have the same so positionedas to abstract suflicient heat from the burning bed of fuel to heat theair passing through the nozzles to a degree as near as possible that ofkindling. This is important, in that the hotter the infiowing currentsof air, the more rapid and complete will be the combustion of the gaseswithin the fire box. Manifestly, in securing this desired amount of heatfor the air, the conductor or pipes passing through the incandescentbody of fuel are subjected to a very high degree of heat, and if theyare made of metal they soon deteriorate, warp or become melted down. Toavoid this, I have employed facings of fire brick which has in a measurebeen very satisfactory.

In railway equipment. it has been found necessary, or at leastadvisable, to provide the various features of construction so that theycan be readily replaced if broken or melted and to provide structureswhich will resist the constant vibrations incident to locomotiveservice, and it is also manifestly important that these heating supplypipes should be made as nearly permanent and without a lining ifpossible, and itis with this in view that the present invention isprovided.

The invention broadly speaking, comprehends preferably a metallicconductor having a series of integral heat conducting ribs,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1909, Serial N 0. 494,147. Renewed August 16,1913.

Patented Apr. 14, 19141:.

Serial No. 785,129.

fins or projections extending inwardly from the surface of the conductordirectly exposed to the heat, so that the heat will be conducted fromthe exposed wall into the passage through which the air is driven andwill be taken up by the air rapidly, thus heating the air to the desiredtemperature.

An object of the invention is also the provision of an air conductorwhich is made in sect-ions and positioning said sections so that theycan be readily removed and replaced, and so without the necessity ofemploying fastening means.or bolts for retaining the respective sectionsin place.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an air conductorwhich will be in form rendering it possible to utilize two sides of thefire box as walls for the conductor.

Other objects of the invention will presently be stated.

In the drawings, I have shown a convenient embodiment of the inventionin a preferred form, it being understood, how ever. that changes can bemade without departing from the nature and principle of the invention.As emphasizing my desire to be understood as covering the principlesinvolved, as well as the structural features, I have also shown in thedrawing a modified form of construct-ion and other forms undoubtedly canbe made and still be within the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l designates an elevation of onecorner of a fire box of a locomotive showing the improved conductorplaced therein, Fig. 2 is a cross section midway of the conductor, Fig.3 is a longitudinal section of the conductor detached, Fig. 4 is a topplan View of the conductor, Fig. 5 is a detail section showing themanner of attaching the upper commingling chambered part of theconductor in place, and Figs. 6 and 7 are elevations'and cross sectionsof modified forms.

A. designates the front, and B the side walls of the locomotive fire boxof any convenient form from which are extended angle bars or othersuitable projecting parts C and C. These angle bars may be bolteddirectly to the side sheets of the fire box, as shown, or they may bemade or secured in any other suitable manner.

D designates the grate having at the corner below the air conductorpresently to be referred to, a base supporting plate G secured in anydesirable manner to the grate carrier or the walls of the fire box. 011the supporting plate is the lower section D of the air conductor, thesaid section consisting conveniently of a metal box-likestructure havingdepending from its under side a neck piece I) projecting below thesurface of the grate. This box-like structure has its in? terior whollyunoccupied and serves as a distributing receptacle for the air as itenters in a manner presently to be described. The distributingreceptacle or part D is preferably made of cast steel and is shaped withits outer face bent out slightly, while its side faces are adaptedtoconform to the an-.

gle formed by the side walls of the fire box. In other words, thestructure is substantially, but not accurately, triangular in crosssection at the top, while the depending part is circular. The upper edgeD of the outer wall is conveniently of V-shape, as shown in thesectional view whereby the sections when in position will beinterlocked.

E designates a series, four being shown, of conductor sections. All ofthese sections are formed alike, so that the description of one willsuffice. They are made of cast metal, preferably having an outer face E,and this outer face constitutes in effect the supporting and carryingelement of the section. From the outer face part projects a multitude ofintegral ribs E varying in width but conveniently of uniform thickness,the variation in the width being governed by the distance between theouter face or plate E and the side walls of the fire box. These ribs areall spaced apart and the distance between the outer face of the sectionand the far edges of the ribs may be of any desired length butnecessarily slightly less than the distance between the outer face ofthe section and the side walls of the fire box, so that there will be notouching or direct contact of the ribs with the re box walls. By formingthe ribs so that they will not be in contact with the walls of the firebox, the heat will not be radiated from the ribs to the fire box wallsand by spacing the ribs well apart the unoccupied area will besubstantially equal to that of the intake of the conductor. Each sectionis provided with interlocking edges, the lowermost section having aV-shaped channel in its face part, into which the upper edge of the partD extends, thus forming a closed joint between the various members.

To secure the sections in place and so in a manner that they may bereadily removed, I form conveniently on the outer face of the inner endsof the end ribs projections e, 6. These projections e, e, are designedto engage with vertically disposed angle brackets or bars C, C, boltedto the side walls of the furnace. The angle or securing bars C, C are sopositioned relative to the various sections that they will be in closecontact with the projecting parts 6, 6, when the sections are in place,and owing to the fact that the two angle bars are at right angles toeach other, they will serve to hold the sections firmly in place againstoutward movement or lateral movement parallel with the side walls of thefire box. It will be noticed, however, that to place the sections, itwill only be necessary tofirst place them over the top of the securingbars and move them down to their proper positions. By this construction,the securing means are located in a guarded position against the directheat of the fire box, leaving exposed only the outer face of the varioussections. It is to be understood, however, that any desired means can beemployed for securing the sections permanently or removably in place, asmay be desired.

Resting on the upper section is the commingling chamber section F. Thismember is formed with an angular portion adapted to fit the corner ofthe fire box, and in the straight sides f, f thereof are formed inclinedslot-s F, the inclination being out ward from the corner of the firebox. Suitable securing pins F are tapped into the fire box sheets, asshown, the same being projected outwardly at right angles to each other.These pins engage in the inclined slots in the section F, so that inplacing the section, the same may be forced rearward, and whenso placedthe pins will be at the upper ends of the slots o-r inclines, thuspreventing the upward movement of the commingling section F, as well aspreventing the outward movement. I employ the term preventing withreference to any accidental displacement of this section, but it willbe'obvious that the construction is such that the section can be readilyremoved and so without the necessity of removing nuts, bolts or otherfastening means. The commingling section F is contracted graduallyupward and terminates in a cylindrical part F, on which is seated thenozzle G. This nozzle may be of any convenient formation, its lower edgebeing flanged to overlap and embrace the upper edge of the cylindricalpart F By constructing the air conductor in the manner above described,it will be readily appreciated that the supporting bars C and C, may beinclined to correspond with the inclination of manyof the modern type oflocomotive fire boxes and in that condition the various sections of theconductor can be as readily placed in position quickly as when in avertical position.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a modified form of radiating conductor,which is in form cylindrical, the radiating flanges being projectedtoward the center from the sides of the pipe. In these figures, Hdesignates the outer plates or portions, and H the radiating ribs orflanges. This form may be made in sections, as shown, and the supportingportion H may be secured, as in the other form. Any convenient form ofnozzle may be employed in this connection, and the pipe sections aresupported in their positions by their own weight or may be attached inany suitable manner.

By conducting the heat from the facings or outer plates rapidly, theplates are preserved against the melting tendency of the fire and willtherefore last a greater length of time without distortion or melting,than other forms of conductor pipes. It will also be noticed that byutilizing the sections shown in the preferred form, I am enabled to doaway with what may be strictly called a pipe formation and utilize thewalls of the fire box as walls for the air conductor. It will also beappreciated that the sections can be readily cast and that theconductors can be easily placed in position or removed for repair,should such be necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a furnace fire box an air conductor comprising a base memberhaving a chambered upper portion, a series of conductor members locatedon the base and provided with a series of integral heat radiating ribsprojecting into the air space, a commingling chambered member at theupper end of the conductor and a nozzle on the said last mentionedmember.

2. In a fire box for furnaces, an air con ductor comprising in part,aseries of removable sections and an upper comniingling section or parthaving inclined slots entering from its lower edge, the said sectionsbeing interlocked, and projections from the walls of the fire boxengaging in the said inclined slots whereby the various sections aresecured in place.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. PARSONS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS H. BERRY, ELwoon TYSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

